South Los Angeles has a new community space with an amphitheater, community plaza, cafe and a 75-foot-long dinosaur.
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will open its newest wing Sunday – the NHM Commons – as its first free-to-the-public space. The two-story building will represent the intersection of science, nature and culture, said Lori Bettison-Varga, president and director of the Natural History Museum, at a press preview Wednesday.
The years-long effort is a culmination of work between the museum, community partners, the county and state government and the Indigenous communities of Los Angeles.
“This is not a ‘Field of Dreams,’ this hasn’t been about ‘If you build it, they will come,’” Bettison-Varga said. “We’ve been working hard to build relationships with our communities through programming, partnerships and other opportunities, and we feel these efforts encourage our community to feel that this is their space.”
Before visitors enter the commons, an outdoor experience waits for them in a curated plaza developed alongside the NHM Commons Native American Advisory Council. The plaza features plant beds selected by Tongva community members and a grinding stone – a rock with holes carved into the surface, in which Tongva peoples used to grind acorns, seeds and other foods – built by Lazaro Arvizu Jr., a Tongva artist.
The museum’s work with Indigenous peoples is an intentional decision to further repair the relationship between the institution and the Indigenous community, said Milena Acosta, the museum’s associate director of community engagement.
Acosta said it is important for the museum to discuss the ancestral land’s connection to the history of Los Angeles. She added that to tell the story of Los Angeles, the voices of the Indigenous people who still live here are needed to help lead that conversation, in the planning and execution of exhibits.
“This is a recognition of where we are, and the voices that are here are the first voices that really should be shining and welcoming our the Native community,” she said. “How do we want to build a better community together? It’s not about us, it’s about them.”
Bettison-Varga said she hopes Angelenos find a home in Exposition Park to get a bite to eat, take in the plaza and enjoy the newly curated Welcome Center, which includes “Gnatalie,” a 75-foot-long long-necked dinosaur that spans more than half of the room.
She noted that LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell was instrumental in guaranteeing funding for the project, going back almost a decade to when Mitchell served in the California state Senate. Mitchell, who attended Wednesday’s preview of the newest addition to Exposition Park, said the county’s role in ensuring the completion of the project goes back to her predecessor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who left the board in 2020.
Mitchell said the government’s role is often misconstrued when discussing the difference between what the county and city can accomplish. However, she added that the NHM Commons provides the community an example of how the county leads with implementing arts and culture advancements for the region.
“When I talk about safety net infrastructure, when I get to art and our cultural assets, I see the light bulb moment come on [my constituents’ faces],” Mitchell said. “I think this new commons is a beautiful reflection of that.”
Arts and science programming is key to the additions to the museum’s catalog of exhibits.
Inside the commons, a 400-seat amphitheater serves as the centerpiece of the first floor. The theater will host community-oriented programming including curated dance performances, films and a speaker series.
The second floor is home to the Welcome Center, including Gnatalie the dinosaur, and a mural that has not been seen more than three times in 40-plus years. Crafted in 1981 by Barbara Carrasco for Los Angeles’ bicentennial celebration, “L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective,” sat in a storage unit for decades after Carrasco was asked by the city to remove scenes deemed too controversial.
Now in a permanent home at the NHM Commons, the mural connects the land from its Indigenous beginnings to contemporary events up until the 1980s. Events featured on the mural include historical events in Los Angeles from Spanish missionaries, to the first Jewish temple, the building of Union Station, the rise of Chicano film, Japanese internment during World War II and the beginnings of Los Angeles baseball, among others.
Carrasco said the community commons space is a fitting home for her mural after years of attempts to whitewash the story told through her art.
“It’s an integral part of mural making, just getting support from the community,” she said.
The 75-foot-long dinosaur stands directly across from the mural.
The dinosaur, named Gnatalie due to the gnats that plagued excavators in Utah over the 15 year excavation, is the first green dinosaur fossil on display in the world. The fossil’s green hue comes from the green mineral celadonite entering the dinosaur’s bones during fossilization.
Its selection as a centerpiece of the commons is connected to the legacy of Los Angeles, and the many scientists and artists dedicated to preserving natural history worldwide, Bettison-Varga said, pointing to its discoverers from the museum’s Dinosaur Institute, led by Luis Chiappe, senior vice president for research and collections.
“It’s really meaningful to our community,” Bettison-Varga said. “Angelenos helped excavate it. Angelenos helped repair it.”
The community inspiration does not end with its exhibits. The NHM Commons is also home to the newest location of South LA Cafe, a coffee shop and gathering space.
Joe Ward-Wallace, co-founder of South LA Cafe, said he remembers attending the museum as a kid, being dropped off by his single mother to explore exhibits for hours on end. He said to now be an important partner to the museum decades later, is an experience he will not forget.
“This was my babysitter,” Ward-Wallace said, motioning with his arms out toward the museum’s entrance. “It means a lot. I’ve come full circle.”
The NHM Commons will officially open Sunday with a block party and programming throughout the day. Community members can visit the commons, including the Welcome Center, throughout the week for free, while USC students, faculty and staff can visit the entire museum free of charge year round.